Bob made no reply but a moment later Jack could hear him as he groped his way through the darkness across the room.
“Over this way,” he whispered.
In another moment Bob was by his side and had out the cords from his feet.
“Don’t make a noise,” Jack cautioned in a low whisper. “One of those fellows sleeps like a weasel.”
“All right, but let’s get out of here as quick as we can.”
Jack got up from the chair but sitting in the one position for so long a time had cramped his legs and as he was about to take a step toward the door he stumbled and fell against it and the chair tipped over making a noise which to the boys sounded like a house falling down as Jack afterward declared. How anyone could get out of a bunk so quickly was always a mystery to the boys, but almost before they could make a move toward the door the room seemed full of men.
Pierre was the first to strike a match and as it flared up Bob made a flying dive for his legs. It was a beautiful tackle and the Frenchman went down in a heap, the match flying from his fingers. Bob was on his feet before Pierre had a chance to grab him.
“All right, Jack,” he shouted as he made for where he thought the door was located.
But Jack was too busy just then to answer. When the match, which Pierre had struck, blazed up, the little man had caught a glimpse of him and had made a rush for him. The match went out just before he reached him but he was moving in the right direction and before the boy had time to dodge he had grabbed him. By this time Jack’s fighting blood was at red heat, and exerting all his strength, he succeeded in breaking the man’s hold and they fell to the floor together with Jack on top. The little man was, however, possessed of remarkable strength despite his size and he quickly rolled over on top of the boy.
Jack heard Bob’s shout but at the moment the man had a firm grip on his throat and he could not have uttered a sound had his life depended on it. Realizing that his strength was rapidly giving out he summoned every ounce he could muster and succeeded in tearing the man’s hand away. He was however unable to shake him off and had all he could do to prevent him from renewing his hold.